Chicago Cubs Yesterday & Today

Open this book and explore the life and times of one of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports, the Chicago Cubs. Pairing historical black-and-white images with contemporary photographs of the modern game, Chicago Cubs Yesterday & Today celebrates more than a century of ups and downs in the history of the team and its legions of rabid fans. The book examines the ballparks, the teams, the players, and the colorful characters that have defined Cubs baseball and earned the loyalty of fans nationwide. Photos and text trace the history of the ball club from its origins in the 1870s to the latest accomplishments on the field, comparing the diamond heroes of today with those of yesteryear. In these pages you will encounter legendary batsmen from the Cubs roster, hitters like Cap Anson, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa, and Derrek Lee. Youll see the dominating pitchers, from Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown to Carlos Zambrano. And youll meet the stars of the broadcast booth---Jack Brickhouse, Ronald Reagan, Harry Caray---and other behind-the-scenes figures who have played a revolutionary role in the development of the team and the game of baseball. A feast for Cubs fans and baseball aficionados, this journey through more than a hundred years of Chicago baseball encapsulates our national pastime at its best. It is the next best thing to a seat at Wrigley Field on a sunny summer afternoon.